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General Vintage Technology Discussions For general discussions about vintage radio and other vintage electronics etc. |
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12th Jan 2017, 4:32 pm | #1 |
Heptode
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, UK.
Posts: 610
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Old MK Illuminated Power Switch
I say old - I bought it with my pocket money sometime around 1971. Please see the attached picture of an MK illuminated power switch. It was the same shape as contemporary light switches back then (as the modern equivalent that I hastily procured yesterday still is) and I have treasured it since then. I lit the rather blackened internal neon (second picture) one last time for the record before sadly laying my defunct switch to rest.
It has been in regular use ever since as a mains breaker on an extension lead and was unfortunately broken yesterday. One of those things that would mean nothing to most people but I know that there are some of you UK Vin Radio people who were also faschinated by electrics as children and would appreciate my loss. I'm so pleased that you can still get good quality plugs and things from MK. I have no idea if the modern versions are made as well but I avoid buying anything else. |
12th Jan 2017, 5:54 pm | #2 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Wiltshire, UK.
Posts: 13,951
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Re: Old MK Illuminated Power Switch
We had two like that for the immersion-heaters at my parents house.
MK stuff is still pretty much the best quality domestic gear you can get. MK are now owned by Honeywell (who I tend to associate with small/medium jet-engines and 1960s-era mainftame computers but most people associate with heating-thermostats...) |
12th Jan 2017, 6:55 pm | #3 |
Octode
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Worcestershire, UK.
Posts: 1,880
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Re: Old MK Illuminated Power Switch
Have known a few of those over the years, there was a time when all houses used either MK or Crabtree products, sadly not the case for some years.
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12th Jan 2017, 8:01 pm | #4 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Staffordshire Moorlands, UK.
Posts: 5,263
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Re: Old MK Illuminated Power Switch
alot of the new MK switches now have 'made in malaysia' printed on them. Honeywell are luckily a respected American company. It wasn't so long ago that Crabtree were owned by a multinational too, (though essentially British) as were MK as part of Caradon before the Honeywell takeover. MK's once-rival Crabtree is now owned by German company Siemens. T'is the way of the world!
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Kevin |
12th Jan 2017, 9:09 pm | #5 |
Heptode
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Barnstaple, N.Devon, UK.
Posts: 556
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Re: Old MK Illuminated Power Switch
Hi, I have one of these in my collection although it has a cable outlet on the front, but it's made by MEM not MK.
See pics. David. |
12th Jan 2017, 11:00 pm | #6 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Staffordshire Moorlands, UK.
Posts: 5,263
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Re: Old MK Illuminated Power Switch
I was going to say MK's version had an angular rocker, whereas MEM's had a curved one. We had the non-illuminated MK one in the garage and the MEM one in the boxroom, when I lived at home.
MEM are also now part of an american conglomerate, namely Eaton Controls
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Kevin |
13th Jan 2017, 12:30 am | #7 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Brentwood, Essex, UK.
Posts: 5,316
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Re: Old MK Illuminated Power Switch
I was rather disappointed with the standard of the MK cooker + 13A socket unit with neons that I bought for my son just before Christmas. Both the neons came loose during installation, and on pushing them back in, one of the red lenses popped out. No provision is made for holding the neons in place (although once installed I suppose none is needed), and the lenses are held in by woefully inadequate detents. When I posted a review on the Screwfix web site I noted that a number of people had had exactly the same experience with loose neons, although no-one else had experienced a red lens coming out. A pity I did not read the review first, but then the unit does match the MK 13A sockets (still made in the UK) that I got for him, and no complaint about their standard of construction ( although I did not get any switched neon sockets).
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13th Jan 2017, 12:32 am | #8 |
Heptode
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Barnstaple, N.Devon, UK.
Posts: 556
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Re: Old MK Illuminated Power Switch
Well there then Kev. I was hoping someone else might know.
Just for completeness I connected it up so you can see it in all it's glory. Must be the first power up since new. Also sorry for the couple of poor pics in the first post. I keep forgetting to select macro! David. |
13th Jan 2017, 10:33 pm | #9 |
Retired Dormant Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Shropshire, UK.
Posts: 3,051
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Re: Old MK Illuminated Power Switch
Yes indeed! I also used to save up to buy things like this, for which I had no immediate use, just the delight in having it to look at and operate, rather like a work of art. I'm afraid I still occasionally do the same sort of thing 50 years later.
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14th Jan 2017, 12:15 am | #10 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Staffordshire Moorlands, UK.
Posts: 5,263
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Re: Old MK Illuminated Power Switch
The UK made MK stuff is still top-hole. After moving into the new workshop maybe 6-7 years ago and fitting cheap chinese double metalclad sockets, I'm now slowly changing them over to MK metalclad as the cheap ones get loose or the switches weld in. Buy cheap buy twice
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Kevin |
14th Jan 2017, 6:48 pm | #11 |
Heptode
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, UK.
Posts: 610
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Re: Old MK Illuminated Power Switch
So good to know I'm not the only one!!!
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19th Jan 2017, 11:19 pm | #12 |
Heptode
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, UK.
Posts: 931
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Re: Old MK Illuminated Power Switch
Pretty sure the same face plate was used for various types of switch around that time...It might be possible to retrofit the illuminated gubbins from yours into another faceplate if you dig around for one for a while...
Pretty sure our old house had light switches with that shape of switch in the older side that hadn't been rewired. |
20th Jan 2017, 10:47 am | #13 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Sleaford, Lincs. UK.
Posts: 7,636
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Re: Old MK Illuminated Power Switch
It will stick back together, new neon and resistor - should keep going for a few years more.
Andy.
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20th Jan 2017, 8:20 pm | #14 |
Pentode
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Conwy, Clwyd, UK.
Posts: 246
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Re: Old MK Illuminated Power Switch
I like MK stuff and always select it, even though they declined to employ me as management accountant at their factory (egatube) in the 1990s! My whole house is fitted with mk metalclad albany.
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20th Jan 2017, 8:30 pm | #15 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Wiltshire, UK.
Posts: 13,951
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Re: Old MK Illuminated Power Switch
A while back my local 99p-shop had a whole slew of MK "Avant" switches and socket-outlets on offer.
https://www.mkelectric.com/en-ar/Pro...s/default.aspx Spotting a spectacular bargain I stocked-up, and am progressively fitting the switched 15A-with-neon versions on radial-circuits as I replace the legacy 13A ring-main outlets here. |
21st Jan 2017, 4:55 pm | #16 |
Heptode
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, UK.
Posts: 610
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Re: Old MK Illuminated Power Switch
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